Do you have an ice dispenser in your refrigerator? If so, here's a rather magical little Valentine's trick: Turn that dispenser into a surprise candy machine, as demonstrated by the blogger at Foodinese. Want a see a video of this in action? Read on! More

Pink may be a no-brainer choice for frosting and anything related to Valentine's Day, but would you ever buy a major appliance in the color? Like, for example, a refrigerator? More

Q: I just read the recent post about using cast iron on a glass cooktop and all the comments from people who own one and hate it! I'm stuck with electric - no gas in our whole building - and wondering about your top recommendations for electric stoves. Thanks!

Sent by Emily More

Q: I would LOVE to be able to use a cast iron skillet on my glasstop electric Kenmore range. Do I really need to pay attention to the manufacturer's caution that it might damage the cooktop?

Has anyone ignored this warning and had good luck cooking with a cast iron pan on this type of cook top?

I know it would be imperative to be super careful. Any advice?

Sent by Debbie More

I recently did an informal poll among my cooking buddies, asking them how hot they heat their ovens when making pizza at home. They blinked at me and universally responded, "As hot as it will go." That's when I realized I've been falling a little short in the pizza department. More

Q: What are the disadvantages of having a 24" range? We're trying to maximize cabinet and counter space and those 6 extra inches would really be helpful. What's the downside?

We cook a lot and often use all 4 burners at once. Thanks for any thoughts.

Sent by S More

BlueStar has always been a source for great-looking and professionally-functioning gas ranges. But now they're introducing a new line of appliances aimed at us - the city cook -that are all a mere 24" wide: More

Do you use a microwave? Microwaves have enjoyed a boost of foodie cred the last couple years, thanks to praises from Harold McGee, Mark Bittman, and others who have debunked some of the myths surrounding microwave cooking. But that hasn't changed the microwave oven's footprint ‐ it is still one bulky appliance. Here are six smart ways to get it off the countertop. More

When it comes to making dinner on busy weeknights, the freezer is my not-so-secret weapon. I use the weekend to blanch and freeze greens or make extra batches of grains and beans that I store in the freezer. So I'm probably way too excited about the Washington Post's tremendously helpful one-page guide on safely and effectively freezing, storing, and thawing foods. More

Conventionally, the kitchen range is installed against a wall. And for good reason: it makes it a no-brainer when it comes to the ventilation hood: just run it up the wall. But then something happened in kitchen design: the range (or just the cooktop in some cases), was given the freedom to be located on an island in the center of the kitchen. But what about the hood? Here, we've gathered some options and examples: More